Anger: The Inner Teacher [Hardcover]

Zelig Pliskin (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 376 pages
• Publisher: Mesorah Publications Ltd.; 1 edition (September 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578191750
• ISBN-13: 978-1578191758
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #50,778 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ideal Anger book -- for Orthodox Jews, August 2, 2005

By 

Y. Simon - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Anger: The Inner Teacher (Hardcover)

This book divides a program to reduce, if not eliminate, anger into 9 steps. Pliskin notes the obvious in this book -- namely, that what you get angry about tells a lot about what you value highly. He also adds practical tips on reducing the intensity, duration, and frequency of anger.

Great book for improving an Orthodox Jew's religiosity.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Long Personal Struggle With Anger Greatly Helped By This Book, October 25, 2009

By 

Reader from Washington, DC/New York "Reader" (Washington, DC/New York) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Anger: The Inner Teacher (Hardcover)

You don't have to be an Orthodox Jew to benefit from this book.

For years, I suffered from anger and depression problems. I'm an intense person, and have had a tough life. I had a lot of therapy and read many self-help books, which were great for helping with my depressions, but they did not seem to help me much with my outbreaks of anger.

I tried a number of secular texts on anger management and anger control, and could not implement their techniques.

In desperation -- I am a deeply spiritual Jew, but not Orthodox -- I sent away for Rabbi Pliskin's book. I was skeptical of its effectiveness -- so many anger texts had not worked for me.

Rabbi Pliskin does not advocate becoming a doormat -- readers are supplied with ways to set boundaries, defend themselves firmly, or walk out of situations where they are being treated in a way that endangers their mental or physical safety. Anger is appropriate in certain situations.

His book is a mixture of traditional Jewish character development (mussar) teachings on anger and the findings of modern psychology in this area.

The book is written in a very comforting and supportive manner. Some of the texts I had read on anger before Rabbi Pliskin's book seemed to be written from the perspective of: "hey, stupid, stop doing that! You must get control of yourself."

Whereas Rabbi Pliskin takes the perspective that all of us are precious in the sight of the Divine Being, and should regard learning to treat ourselves and other people in a kindly manner as a positive, joyous spiritual task.

He regards chronically angry people as often having intense emotions that can simply be channeled in more positive directions.

Here is one terrific quote: "A world-champion boxer or a mighty warrior only becomes that way because of his regular program of exercises and practice over a long period of time. By consistently working on conquering anger, it is possible to gain an inner spiritual and emotional strength that is very powerful."

The book has been a tremendous help to me in this area. I was spending a lot of time being angry with myself and other people, and it was not good for anyone.

My anger has not gone completely away, but its manifestations are far less extreme and frequent.

I make a point of re-reading the book at least once per year, usually before Yom Kippur, so that I reinforce its insights. I owe Rabbi Pliskin and G-d a great debt of gratitude.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anger: The Inner Teacher, April 26, 2009

By 

FNC (TEXAS) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Anger: The Inner Teacher (Hardcover)

I purchased this book to help me with my anger problem, and even with just having read a few pages, it is already helping me with it.